Arthritis pain meds...what do you take?

At the Drs appointment last week my PCP thinks I have arthritis in my knees and right hip. I still need xrays to confirm it but that will have to wait a bit...$$$$. I asked him about something for the pain and he suggested Ultram/Tramadol. I had to remind him I was already taking it 4 times a day for my Achilles tendon/heel spur thing...shouldn't he have known that?!?! Anyway he said that was all he could give me.

Now, I'm not a doctor and I know NSAIDS are out of the question but I do know there's more than that one medication that I can take...I just don't know what it is! I don't know if he just doesn't know what to prescribe for RNY patients, he doesn't care to learn or he just flat doesn't care...he's not the best people person I've been to.

So I'm asking any of you who take prescription pain meds for arthritis or similar pain....what do you take and how well does it work for you.

 Dee....I think Tylonel has a arthrisis pain formula....try that it would be safe for you to take.


Hugs and blessings ~~~ Vivian

Trust me...I've tried every version of OTC Tylenol I can find! The 650mg Muscle Pain formula works OK for night time if I take at least 3 before bed. But I wake up about 4-5 hours later so achy I can't go back to sleep.  I'm really concerned about having to take so much of the Tylenol at one time...what is that doing to my pouch?

 I imagine that it isn't hurting your pouch.    Remember the prescription formulas are lots stronger than OTC versions of it.    I know I have taken 1500 mg of extra strength Tylenol formula when I get to hurting enough.     You could always call your doc and ask his input on this.   Good luck with the pain Dee.   I hate to see you hurting along with many others on here.


Hugs and blessings ~~ Vivian

Thanks. I have an email in to Jaime, his nurse, now.  Ya know...you go through all this surgery and stuff to get healthier, to be able to move and do things you haven't done in years. I figured after almost 120lb gone I'd be spry as a pup. Instead I'm creeping along like Granny Grunt...it sucks!

Hang in there Dee ... maybe the nurse will have some other suggestion for you.. all my doc keeps telling me is to take the Vicadin I take for my back when it gets really bad.. I tell him I dont want to get addicted to it and his answer was "you have been taking it for 20+years and if your not addicted now you never will be" .. so I take that wehn I cant stand it any more or if I am loosing sleep over it.. .. I dont like it but it does take the edge off when the knees and back hurt so bad I am not sleeping.. this new exercise routine is killing the arthritis.. but I keep doing it and hurting .. got to get this weight off.. hot baths at night right before bed seems to help me the most..The hotest I can stand it..  I have even wrapped the knees with ace bandages while they are still nice and hot and moist from the bath for the night and that helps some..
As far as the Tylenol.. yes it is safe for our pouch but you might as well take a piece of sugar free hard candy instead.. neither will help the pain.. lol...not bad arthritis.. maybe minor ..maybe... and if you take a large amount of tylenol it might not hurt your pouch but it sure will hurt your liver.. that is why Tylenol almost all got recalled.. people are taking too much and it is causing liver damage.. so please be careful with it..

Dee, I take Tylenol on a regular basis but I also take fishoil that has helped alot. The one I take also has tumeric in it. When I'm really hurting the dr. said I can take Celebrex but if I have to take it on a regular basis she wants me to take prevacid or something like it. I ususally only have to take it maybe every 2 weeks. I feel for you. I also find if I'm dehydrated I hurt more.